Power-transmitting mechanism.



PATENTED SEPT. 1, 1903. I P. W. BETTINGER. POWER TRANSMITTINGMEGHANISM.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

10 MODEL.

W/ TNESS'ES:

BATENTED SEPT. 1, 1903.

'B. W. BETTINGER. 4 POWER TRANSMITTING MECHANISM.

APPLICATION IIL II-JI) AUG. 30, 1902.

2 SHEETS-SHEET El 110 MODEL.

gm Q/W.

7 UNITED STATES Patented September 1, 1903.

PATENT OFFICE.

POWER-TRANSMITTING MECHANISM.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 737,696, dated September 1, 1903.

Application filed August 30, 1902- To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, PosEY W. BETTINGER, a citizen of the United States, residing at San Jose, county of Santa Clara, State of California, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Power-Transmitting Mechanism; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the same.

The present invention relates to powertransmitting mechanism for motor-vehicles, the object of the invention being to provide friction means whereby the speed of the vehicle may be increased or decreased while being driven under a constant power which isnot. varied with the changed speed of the vehicle.

To comprehend the invention, reference should be had to the accompanying sheet of drawings, wherein.-

Figure 1 is a side view, in elevation,of a motor-vehicle with the improved drive-powertransmitting mechanism applied thereto. Fig. 2 is a top plan view of the mechanism disclosed in Fig. 1 of the drawings, partly in section, the vehicle-body being removed. Fig. 3 is a detail view of the friction drive-disk and the cone within which same works, this view being mainly for the purpose of illustrating the friction-surface secured by placing the friction-disk within the cone; andFig. 4 is a similar view of the friction-disk work ing on the outer face of the cone, said view being used for the purpose of comparison as to the difference in friction-surface thus ob tained as against that resulting from locating the friction-disk so as to bear against the inner face of the cone.

The numeral 1 is used to indicate any suitable form of frame for the vehicle, which frame supports the motor-power engine, represented by the numeral 2. This mechanism is connected to and operates power or engine shaft 3, working in bearing l, secured to frame '1.

To the power or engine shaft 3 is feathered the hub 5 of friction-disk 6, which disk in the present case works within the hollow cone 7 and bears against the inner surface thereof. The hub S of saidcone is slidably mounted upon the inner end of transmitting-shaft 9, which shaft works within bearing-boxes 1O 11, secured to supporting-brackets 12 12.

Serial No. 121,581. (No model.)

Bearing-box 10 is adjustably attached to supporting-bracket 12, longitudinal movement being given thereto by adjusting-screws 13. Between this bearing-box and free end of hub 8 of cone 7 the bearing-balls 13 are introduced. These balls or rolls 13 reduce friction during the working of the cone 7, while at the same time taking up the thrust of shaft 9. By giving a longitudinal adjustment to the hub 8 the pressure of cone 7 against the periphery of friction-disk 6 may be increased or decreased, as necessity may require.

The shaft 9 is set at such an angle to the power or engine shaft 3 as to place the friction-disk 6 at right angle to the upper surface of the inner face of the cone 7, Fig. 2 of the drawings, thereby causing the entire width of the periphery of disk 6 to bear against the inner surface of the cone 7. By this arrangement contact-surface of a circle within a circle is obtained, thereby securinga band contact, as clearly indicated by Fig. 3 of the drawings, instead of a point of contact, as in the case of one circle bearing against the outside of another circle, as is the case where the friction-disk bears against the outer face of a cone. (See Fig. 4 of the drawings.) The increase of frictional surface obtained by permitting the friction-disk to engage with the inner surface of the cone over what results by causing the friction-disk to bear against the outer surface of the cone will be readily understood by a comparison of Figs. 3 and 4 of the drawings. In Fig. 3 the friction surface extends from point a to a, while in Fig. 4 the friction-surface is a mere point of contact. The increase of drive-power resulting in favor of the internal arrangement of the f riction-disk within the cone is thus apparent.

To the outer end of transmitting-shaft 9 is secured a pinion 14, with which engage the gears 14: 1 1 These gears are attached to a sleeve 15, feathered to the outer end portion of cross-shaft 15, whichshaft works in bearings 16. To the inner end of cross-shaft 15 a sprocket-wheel l6 is secured, which connects with rear axle 17 of the vehicle by sprocket-chain 17. This chain works over sprocket-wheel 16 of shaft 15 and sprocketwheel 18, secured to rear axle 17. By means of this connection the motion of cross-shaft 15 is transmitted to rear axle 17 for propulsion of the vehicle,'the cross-shaft being driven from engine-shaft 3 throughthe medium of friction-disk 6, cone 7, and shaft 9.

The direction of travel imparted to the vehicle is dependent upon the direction of rotation imparted to the cross-shaft 15, the direction of said shafts rotation beingcontrolled by the gears 14 14 In case gear 14 is thrown into mesh with pinion 14 then rotation imparted to shaft 15, which is transmitted to the rear axle 17 of the vehicle, imparts a forward travel thereto. In case the gear 14 is thrown into mesh with pinion 14 a reverse motion is imparted to cross-shaft 15 and to the rear axle of the vehicle, causing a rearward travel thereto. It will be understood that as one gear is thrown into mesh with pinion 14 the opposite gear is thrown out of mesh. This is accomplished by the longitudinal movement permitted the sleeve 15 upon the cross-shaft 15, which movement is obtained through the medium of the lever 19, fulcrumed to the frame of the vehicle. The inner end of this lever is forked and engages with the sleeve 15, so that as the lever is thrown inward or outward laterally it causes the sleeve to move correspondingly upon thecrossshaft 15 in order to place gear 14 or gear 14 into or out of mesh with pinion 14. To the outer end of lever 19 is attached the segmentrack 19, which is engaged by rack-wheel 20, attached to the lower end of the rotatable rod 20, which rod projects above the body of the vehicle, at one side thereof, and has the handle 21 secured thereto. This handle is designed to be within convenient reach of the operator of the machine, so that by giving right or left hand turn thereto the rod 20 will be rotated, so as to cause an oscillation of the fulcrumed lever 19 through the medium of the rack 19 and wheel 20 for the purpose of shifting the sleeve 15 inward or outward.

The speed of the vehicle as driven is dependent upon the position of the friction-disk 6 relative to the cone '7. As the friction-disk 6 is moved toward the center of the cone 7 the speed at which the same is driven will be quickened, thereby increasing the speed of travel imparted to the vehicle. This speed is gradually decreased as the friction-disk 6 is moved toward the outer edge of the cone 7, as is well known. The shifting of the position of friction-disk 6 is obtained through the medium of arm 21, which engages at one end with the hub 5 of the friction-disk 6. The outer or opposite end of arm 21 is attached to the bearing sleeve 22, which sleeve is slidable upon cross rod 22. This bearingsleeve 22 is connected to an endless chain 23 by a pin or stud 23, so that as the endless chain is rotated or moved back and forth it imparts a corresponding movement to the guide-sleeve. The movement of this guidesleeve is transmitted to the hub 5 of the friction-disk 6 by the connecting-arm 21, so that the hub 5 is shifted uponthe engine orpower shaft 3 in accordance with the movement of the guide-sleeve 22. The endless chain 23 works over the sprocket-wheels 24 24 and is operated through the medium of the crank 25, attached to the upper end of vertical rod 25, which rod is secured to the sprocketwheel 24. The crank-handle 25 is so arranged as to be within convenient reach of the operator of the machine. By this means chain 23 "is readily moved inward or outward to shift the friction-disk 6 within the hollow cone 7 through the before-described connecting means.

Inasmuch as the friction-disk is not in con tact with an inclined surface of the cone, it is obvious that as the position thereof is changed there is no sacrifice of power, as the power transmitted to the cone is a uniform and constant one whatever the position of the friction disk may be. Hence at whatever speed the vehicle may be driven the power of propulsion is uniform. There is no sacrifice of power to obtain speed, as is the case where the friction-disk is shifted back or forth on the outer inclined surface of the cone. The arrangement of the cone, as shown in the drawings and before described, is such that the friction-disk stands at a right angle to the inner face of the cone, thereby giving a straight bearing surface and not an inclined bearing-surface for the action of the frictiondisk.

To bring the vehicle to a state of rest or stop the travel thereof, the friction-disk 6, by the before-described mechanism, is moved from within the cone 7 so as to place the same out of contact therewith. When in this position, the engine runs idle and the vehicle is brought to a standstill. In starting the vehicle the said friction-disk 6 is gradually moved into engagement with the cone 7, the outer edge of the cone 7 being beveled,as shown at 7 ,Fig. 2 of the drawings, so as to permit of the friction-disk moving thereon as shifted inward.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to protect by Letters Patent, is

1. A power mechanism for motor-vehicles comprising a hollow cone, its bearing, a shaft upon which said bearing is mounted, a disk working within the cone and against the inner surface thereof, adjusting means for shifting the cone and its bearing along the shaft upon which they are mounted, and means whereby the rotary motion of the cone is transmitted to impart travel to'the vehicle.

' 2. A power mechanism for motor-vehicles comprising a rotary friction device, its beared, a disk working against the rotary friction device,adjusting means for shifting the rotary frictiondevice and its bearing along the shaft upon which they are mounted, and means whereby the rotary motion of the rotary friction device is transmitted to impart travel to the vehicle; substantially as described,

3. A power mechanism for motor-vehicles I comprising a hollow cone, a shaft therefor, a

mg, a shaft upon which said bearing is mount-' disk working within the cone and against the tudinally of its shaft to regulate the pressure inner surface thereof, means for adjusting the between the same and the disk, and means cone longitudinally of its shaft to regulate the whereby the rotary motion of the friction depressure between the same andvthe disk, and vice is transmitted to impart travel to the I 5 5 means whereby the rotary motion of the cone vehicle; substantially as described.

is transmitted to impart travel to the vehicle; In witness whereof I have hereunto set my substantially as described. hand.

4. A power mechanism for motor-vehicles POSEY XV. BETTINGER. comprising a rotary friction device, a shaft lVitnesses: 1o therefor, a disk working thereagainst, means E. P. BRUNHOUSE, for adjusting the rotary friction device longi- F. M. TEMPLE. 

